Exercises for pregnant women in the pool

To somehow reduce the level of discomfort, to save a young mother from at least part of the problems, now many health-improving systems have been developed, including exercises for pregnant women in the pool.

Without a doubt, pregnancy is an important and joyful event. And, at the same time, this is a difficult period when the organism of the future mother experiences the strongest load - both psychological and physical. Frequent fatigue, problems with sleep, increased irritability, swollen legs, aching pain in the back - all this can not but cloud the life of even the biggest optimists. 

However, before deciding and enroll in the pool, any woman will hurry to make inquiries, so as not to harm yourself or the child. In fact, is swimming useful in pregnancy? Are there any contraindications? Which exercises for pregnant women in the pool are most useful? Do not attend visits to public areas such as the swimming pool in terms of hygiene? These questions are quite natural, but the fears behind them are often completely groundless.

[1], [2], [3]

Is swimming useful in pregnancy?

Exercises for pregnant women in the pool - an excellent way to get rid of accumulated stress, relieve the tortured spine and joints and even prevent the disruption of the integrity of tissues when a child is born.

Strictly speaking, this is not exactly swimming, but a whole complex of various exercises for pregnant women in the pool. It is generally known that water significantly facilitates body weight, thereby returning a lost sensation of lightness, and physical exertion ceases to be so debilitating. In addition, water procedures allow you to maintain physical activity, and this, in turn, helps to easier transfer labor and restore the figure. These exercises also improve the overall well-being of a woman, activate metabolic processes in the body. Muscles of the back, abdomen and pelvis are developed, the work of the cardiovascular system is normalized. Swimming also promotes the training of breathing, the oxygenation of the organs and tissues of the mother and baby. Thus, a woman prepares for childbirth.

In addition to general strengthening exercises for pregnant women, the pool can usually offer a special course designed for women who are catastrophically gaining weight in the situation. A very important point: an experienced specialist will select the right level of load, which will allow to maintain the optimal physical form and in no case be overextended. This, by the way, is important not only when performing special exercises, but also during normal swimming, because it is obvious that pregnancy is not the best time for records. In general, swimming is considered to be the ideal and the safest option for fitness for those women who were not engaged in sports before pregnancy.

No less than purely physical, the emotional side of the issue is important. This type of training is not just a standard or specialized exercise for pregnant women. In the pool, women are given the opportunity to relax, change their surroundings, relax, communicate with a specialist and - most importantly - with other mothers and with them discuss all that bothers them. This is to the question of whether swimming is useful in pregnancy.

Returning to the question of the safety of visiting the pool in such a delicate situation, it should be noted that all enrolled persons are required to provide before the first session of a certificate of absence of serious illnesses. If you can not get rid of the fears still can not, it is worth remembering that the water in the pools is thoroughly cleaned. Especially strictly this rule is observed when it comes to classes for pregnant women. You can also ask friends, ask about the reputation of the institution where classes are planned, and, in the end, pay attention to specialized courses at polyclinics. And it turns out that in the vast majority of cases there are no reasons for concern, but the benefits of exercises for pregnant women in the pool - just huge.

Contraindications to swimming during pregnancy

In principle, with a good general condition of young mothers, there is no reason to refuse exercise for pregnant women in the pool. Moreover, doctors strongly recommend similar water procedures. Nevertheless, in a situation when it comes to the health of both women and children, one can not be too careless. Therefore, before starting classes, you should always consult a doctor and only after that make a final decision.

So what are the contraindications to swimming during pregnancy?

One of the reasons to abandon exercise for pregnant women in the pool is the threat of miscarriage. Do not go into the pool and those women who have profuse vaginal discharge, diagnosed placenta previa or have a tendency to edema.

As already mentioned above, the state of the water in the basin is monitored very carefully. It would seem that this is bad? The problem is that the water is cleaned with chlorine, so for young mothers with an allergy to this substance, the version of the pool with chlorinated water disappears. By the way, those women who do not suffer from allergies should avoid swallowing water so as not to harm the child. However, even women with chlorine allergy are not necessarily to refuse water procedures - it is enough to find a suitable replacement, for example a pool with sea water.

Among other reasons preventing the swimming pool during pregnancy are general weakness, nausea, pain during exercise, shortness of breath, blood rush to the skin, blood diseases, severe toxicosis, skin and infectious diseases, as well as acute respiratory infections and exacerbation of chronic diseases .

If there are no such contraindications to swimming during pregnancy, then the idea of water procedures should be taken as seriously as possible. Moreover, it is not only extremely useful, but also fun.

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Complex exercises for pregnant women in the pool

The complex of exercises for pregnant women in the basin was first developed in the eighties of the last century. Since then, a variety of exercises have appeared a great many. Different sets of exercises are used at various stages of pregnancy, with different indications.

Often start the session in the pool is recommended with exercises for pregnant women on stretching. They are carried out face to face and, mainly, are represented by various variations of the longitudinal and transverse twine and half-string. Doing these, and any other exercises, it is important not to overdo it. Classes should bring pleasure and benefit, and not complications.

A set of exercises for twisting is also performed at the side. These are squats with turns to the right and to the left (at the same time one should push off from the bottom, clinging tightly to the side), a "bicycle" on the back or just kicking the water.

No less important for pregnant women and exercise in the pool for relaxation. They allow you to rest your tired back. Probably the simplest exercise is lying face down, spread out your arms and relax the whole body. There is another option: lying on your stomach, take a deep breath, hold your breath and splash in the water. This exercise is all the more pleasant because it is almost impossible for pregnant women to lie on the stomach outside the water, especially in late pregnancy.

Group exercises for pregnant women in the pool are more extreme, but not less useful. One of the options - a kind of "trickle", when women stand up one after another, legs wide apart, and, in turn, swim under their feet.

Extremely useful exercises aimed at training breath holding. Of course, we are talking about diving. Young mothers learn to hold their breath for a long time, which will help them during childbirth, and the child gradually gets used to reducing the flow of oxygen, which he will face during labor and at the time of passing the birth canal. A good example of a breathing exercise for pregnant women in the pool is the "embryo pose", when a woman needs to pull up her legs to her, hug them and, after gaining air, stay for a while under water. Exercise "float" is also designed for breathing exercises: you have to push off from the bottom, grab your feet with your hands, spread your knees widely, while lowering your head into the water, and hold your breath. Another popular exercise is the "star": lie face down, arms and legs outstretched, and stay in this position for a long time, then get up and slowly breathe.

As an example of a real sports program, which is used by experienced specialists, you can bring such a complex of exercises for pregnant women in the pool: 

• exercises for breathing exercises; 
• active exercises at the side (swinging the foot at the surface of the water, swinging the foot to the side, circles with the foot back-forward); 
• Exercise for pregnant women in the pool for stretching; 
• Exercise for pregnant women in the pool for twisting; 
• exercises that promote breast enhancement; 
• exercise for pregnant women in the pool with a board; 
• group exercises for pregnant women in the pool; 
• Exercise for pregnant women in the pool to relax.

However, we should not forget that even the most effective set of exercises will not bring the expected result, if the lessons are not regular. Two classes a week - this is the optimal schedule, which will allow a woman to support the body in a tone, improve well-being and prepare for childbirth. However, the schedule can be different if it is required by the state of health. The temperature of the water to avoid overcooling should be at least 29-31 degrees. The duration of the lessons is 40-50 minutes, but, again, if the expectant mother felt fatigue, discomfort, dizziness, just froze, the occupation must be interrupted.

Exercises for pregnant women in early pregnancy

A pregnant woman, of course, needs care for the entire period while she is carrying a child, but special attention should be paid to her health in the early and late stages of pregnancy. In these periods, both mom and baby are more than ever in need of care, which means that exercises need to be selected in accordance with this setting.

In the first trimester (the first fourteen weeks), it is better to avoid excessive loads. During this period, the fertilized egg is attached to the wall of the uterus, and because of the threat of miscarriage, exercises for pregnant women in the basin in the early stages of pregnancy should be as simple as possible and not burdensome. The best choice will be leisurely swimming and relaxation exercises.

During this period, it is necessary to start carefully preparing the woman's organism for childbirth, to train the muscles of the hips, the spine, which will become the support for a greatly increasing weight, and therefore take a big load. In no case can not strain the press - the probability of miscarriage at this stage is too high. But it's time to perform a few exercises in the pool for pregnant women, aimed at strengthening the muscles of the chest, which will help to keep later its shape: with a force to squeeze folded in front of her hands; the position is the same, take your hands to the left, to the right; Simulate the style of swimming with the rabbit, swing first forward, then backward; clenched into fists and raised arms above their heads to hold for 5 seconds, gradually relax all joints, on exhalation, putting his hands in the water.

All exercises should be done carefully, without haste, under the guidance of an experienced instructor who will help maintain the physical form, without harming either mother or child.

Despite all the precautions and certain limitations, do not give up exercises for pregnant women in the pool, even in the early stages of pregnancy. According to doctors, it is thanks to the lessons from the first weeks of pregnancy that the birth is easier, without breaks, and the restoration of the old form by the parturient women takes much less time. In addition, in the early stages of pregnancy exercises bring tremendous psychological help, because communication with other mothers helps to overcome fear and get rid of stress.

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Exercises for pregnant women in late pregnancy

The second trimester, according to doctors, is the safest period for a young mother and child. You can, for example, perform various exercises for pregnant women, designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles. The intensity of exercise during this period, as a rule, increases, but before the third trimester it should be lowered again and give priority to calm swimming and breathing exercises, very relevant in view of approaching births.

Example of breathing exercises for pregnant women in the pool: 

• a deep breath over the water - an exhalation under it; 
• a breath over the water - a slow exhalation in the water (in the last trimester, the duration of exhalation should increase); 
• exaggerated, but even breathing for 10 seconds - first with an emphasis on inspiration, then on exhalation; 
• shallow, shallow breathing.

Exercises for pregnant women in late pregnancy allow the fetus to take the correct position in the uterus. In addition, during this period it is very important to relieve the musculoskeletal system, which has to endure heavy loads, and, as is known, the best way to do this is swimming.

Of course, as in the case of the first trimester, there are certain limitations. So, in order to avoid an undesirable increase in the tone of the uterus in the third trimester, exercise should be discontinued as soon as a woman's pulse increases and painful sensations appear. We will have to confine ourselves to breathing exercises for pregnant women in the pool - the only ones that do not have contraindications at any stage of pregnancy.